Mount Davidson Cross lights up San Francisco for 99th Easter

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, people will once again climb to the top to watch the sunrise atop the iconic Davidson Cross.

Jacquie Proctor, a local historian who has championed the site and even wrote a book about it, said: “It is great that this tradition is continued.

The 300-foot-tall cross was lit on Saturday night for its 99th year. The Northern California Council of Armenian American Organizations has owned the cross since 1997 and has worked to preserve the tradition. .

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“I think it’s amazing that this has been going on since 1923, people have been hiking here before dawn – there were 50,000 people when the cross was lit in 1934 and during the day,” Jacquie said. World War II,” Jacquie said.

“I bet more people will come this year because it hasn’t happened in two years – you can’t take that for granted anymore.”

The towering testament to tradition is set atop San Francisco’s highest peak at 938 ft. Proctor calls it the age-old symbol of hope.

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“This year, they’re going to have a pastor from the Ukrainian church because of what’s going on there,” she said. “It was lit in blue two years ago to honor essential workers.”

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The person responsible for lighting it up is literally excited for the return of the sunrise service this year.

“I have a stage lighting truck and I light it – 30,000 watts,” says Don Bristow, a local lighting designer. said he was touched by the popularity of the cross. “It means I did a good job and it makes people happy.”

“There are so many challenges we face all the time amid COVID, war and politics,” says Proctor. “I think there’s something innately rejuvenating about it and we need that kind of mental push.”